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. 2021 Jul 26;21(1):292.
doi: 10.1186/s12883-021-02328-z.

Inner diameters of the normal carotid arteries measured using three-dimensional digital subtraction catheter angiography: a retrospective analysis

Qingjing Tan  1 , Chao Qin  2 , Junwei Yang  1 , Tianbao Wang  1 , Haohai Lin  1 , Cuiting Lin  3 , Xiangren Chen  3
Affiliations

Inner diameters of the normal carotid arteries measured using three-dimensional digital subtraction catheter angiography: a retrospective analysis

Qingjing Tan et al. BMC Neurol. .

Abstract

Purpose: To obtain normal ranges for the inner diameters of the carotid arteries.

Methods: This retrospective analysis included consecutive patients with disease-free carotid arteries who had undergone 3D-DSA at two hospitals in Nanning, Guangxi, between March 2013 and March 2018. Demographic and clinical characteristics, including Essen Stroke Risk Score (ESRS), were extracted from the medical records. The 3D-DSA data were used to calculate the inner diameters of the carotid arteries.

Results: The analysis included 1182 patients (837 males) aged 58.81 ± 11.02 years. The inner diameters of the proximal carotid sinus (CS), CS bulge, distal CS, and common carotid artery (CCA) were larger on the right than on the left (P < 0.05). The inner diameters of the proximal CS, CS bulge, distal CS, and CCA on both sides were larger for males than females (P < 0.05). The inner diameters of the proximal CS, CS bulge, and distal CS on both sides were smaller for patients aged > 65 years than for patients aged ≤ 55 years (P < 0.05). Right CCA inner diameter did not vary with age, whereas left CCA inner diameter was larger for patients aged > 55 years than for patients aged ≤ 45 years (P < 0.05). The inner diameters of the proximal CS, CS bulge, and distal CS on both sides were smaller for patients with ESRS ≥ 3 than those with ESRS < 3 (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: This study provides reference values for the internal diameters of normal carotid arteries. Carotid artery diameters varied with side, sex, and age.

Keywords: Carotid arteries; Carotid bifurcation; Digital subtraction angiography; Essen Stroke Risk Score; Internal diameter.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
A Criteria for assessing the degree of carotid stenosis: NASCET criteria B Schematic diagram of the anatomical measurement part of carotid atery bifurcation C, D Anatomical structure of the carotid artery bifurcation displayed with three-dimensional (3D) DSA
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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